Build a heated propagator. Unbelievable results!

[@claudw3738]

This is just the video I needed. Thanks Shaun! Thanks for speeding up the video in areas where the information is essential, but there is no requirement to spend 60 seconds when 10 seconds will do. appreciate your sharing.

[@murdog04]

Shaun you have such a knack for creating functional and cost effective solutions for your community. I wish I had that creative mind that could come up with stuff like that. That is why I am such a KZbin fan and ChilliChump fan! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us all. I totally loved the video! Thanks again - v/r Shane

[@ChilliChump]

You are too kind mate

[@rebel4466]

Actually, it's pretty easy if you understand what you're looking for and what's available. Like here he needs warmth, a way to keep humidity, a growing medium and he built everything around those perimeters. But I agree, he's a creative fellow. I think he could even have gone more DIY with more features, but this is a simple solution for everyone. Awesome. Wish I had the space to do all that stuff. Very inspiring.

[@ChilliChump]

I was very pleased with the results of this build. Let me know if you give it a try! And good luck with your seed planting this season. By the way, the sand/vermiculite mix above the heating cable is 1 part vermiculite with about 3 parts builders sand (by volume, not weight)

[@jaytru3808]

Do you have the link for the actual thermostat and wire you used. That link brings up a whole page. Since it worked well for you I'd like to use the same products.

[@ChilliChump]

Which country are you in?

[@jaytru3808]

@@ChilliChump 🇺🇸.. didn't think about that maybe that's why it came up different 🤷‍♂️

[@ChilliChump]

give this a try amzn.to/33pFG62 This is the standalone plug I have a few of. If you are looking for the heating cable...I can't find an exact match (seems to be Europe based). But you can use the thermostat above, or this one which is a bit more "gardening" oriented. amzn.to/3sKSegO And the heating cable, I can't really find an exact match. But Amazon has a few options if you do a search for "soil heating cable"

[@kcmalone662]

Thanks I will let you know. I am trying to source the heating cables I had seen previously. Everything I can find now is either too long for the set up I can do in my current space - or almost double the price (same brand/retailer) I found last year when I initially was considering making my own bench.

[@kevinmosgo5492]

This is just the video I needed. Thanks Shaun! One of the places I hit a snag last year was my plan for heated propagation. I got some mats from Amazon, but I couldn't get over my worries of having a fire caused by the mats. I read some reviews that warned of that, and it scared me. This setup you do hear will fit perfectly in the space I build for my seed starting. The area I'm doing it is in my basement, near enough to the furnace, and hot water tank that it's nice and warm to begin with. I have a restaurant supply store right near me where I can get the plastic trays at a good price.

[@OrtoInScatola]

The heating mats from Amazon work fine, I have always used them for chili, eggplants and tomato propagation without an issue. If you are worried about fire because you leave that area unattended the system described in this video is not gonna be any safer. Actually worse because the heating cable is in wet sand, and if anything happened to that cable or had it been defective you have a fire hazard. I am not criticizing this system, I am just saying that one is not better than the other in terms of safety

[@georgehelaine]

ChilliChumb is truly a great man sharing all his experiences with us!

[@Zarglog]

Very good project! I did a similar one a year ago but for one of my snakes. I put the heating cable into the desired position and poured concrete mix above it, so the entire thing became like a heat rock. The rocky material spreads the heat nicely. Your method is superior in this case since there's water involved. Not because of electricity, but because you need air pockets which the gravel will give you.

[@danielgibbs5676]

Great video once again Shaun! I was going to build a propagation bed similar to this a few months back but the cable was out of stock so ended up getting a extra large heat mat. Glad it works well for you. I think this is what large scale operations use so if you are starting lots of plants its an excellent economical solution. I'm still gonna build one some time in the future (:

[@ChilliChump]

Thanks Daniel. Heat mats do ok, nothing wrong with them. I just wasn't able to get the performance I wanted from them...I've tried a few!

[@ivoleather]

Great idea! I'm just starting out this year but I will definitely keep this in mind for future expansion of my growing ambitions 😁 Thanks for sharing!

[@brianbatten6403]

I did the same last year using a growbag tray was a bit shallow. Did have very good germination rate.

[@wardy89]

nice little project! i have had something similar to this at the back of my mind for a while!

[@jakesyaseen8494]

Can't wait to see the next planting and sowing the seeds

[@ChilliChump]

that's my job in the next couple of days....its going to be interesting!

[@gazellecarlson6543]

great tip i was not aware of the insulator factor..this will definately be a game changer , as i had some failures in germination last year and had to keep replanting. thx

[@MDS-wl3pt]

Such a great channel, so much useful info and fun to watch! I got a Stewart variable recently and after lining with sand as per instruction and putting potting soil straight in, so no trays used, I got great temps. Room ambient 12c soil 28c. I used the bubble wrap it came with and and old dressing gown to wrap it up and insulate. Love your DIY version, hope you have a fun and successful season!

[@linaso9739]

Great idea, never thought about such implementation.

[@wranther]

That is a very creative solution Shaun! I have been "toying" with the idea of picking up some "heat tapes" to use out in the cold room that is attached to the west side of this place I stay at. Here heat tapes appear similar to yours, with primary purposes or preventing water line freeze ups in the winter and to provide open trackways in roof gutters to prevent ice damns from backing water up under roofing materials. May have a go at that as the hardening off process begins in a couple of months. Bit more seed starting later on today. Happy Seeding! Stay Spicy! -Bob...

[@FLEARMOY]

Excellent job mate , thanks for uploading 👍

[@nefariousyawn]

I like the trick of putting the vermiculite in the food bags. Are you familiar with, or have you tried the seed warming mats that are available? The same products are sold as cage/terrarium warmers for pets. I have never seen the heating cable before, but I like that it can be arranged in whatever shape you need.

[@ChilliChump]

I have quite a few of the seed warming mats. When I experimented with this, I tried many different options...including the mats. The ones I got weren't able to perform as well as what I show in the video.

[@stephenrowe1415]

This looks far better at distributing heat evenly than a heat mat. Used corrugated cardboard on top of the heat mat for even heat distribution before now.

[@lumbybronzearm]

Roll that beautiful watering footage!

[@SullyStuff]

Yay a heated prop, and we were only just discussing that on discord! I wish I knew this was coming. Luckily I haven’t ordered one yet.

[@mygardenofthings]

Probably big clear storage boxes would be a great alternative to the tray as they have a lid, you could get them very cheap. They also have handles to carry😉👍

[@ChilliChump]

that is a brilliant idea!

[@MB-co6qj]

Nice build! I think the dome can be as easy and cheap as joining 5 pieces of plexiglass together, drill a few holes and place a slider on there 👌

[@Craxin01]

I buy my plants already sprouted at the local plant nursery. Since I only have space for a few plants, this is interesting to watch, but not very practical for me to try and build. Still looking forward to seeing more though.

[@JonathanWagener]

I need to try this

[@markellisj.d.1941]

Great information here. I have a series of potted bamboo that I have in my backyard that serves as a privacy barrier. Would heating cable work? I have a row of 12. They stand about 15 feet tall

[@ChilliChump]

Are you wanting to put the cable directly in the ground?

[@JBNat]

Wow, this is such a cool idea! I'm quite fortunate that I don't have plans to scale up so much this year but this is so neat

[@xcaluber]

Fantastic! Thank you very much for this! Also, greetings from SA :) .

[@ChilliChump]

My plesier!

[@stevejones7553]

Wanted to make sure I understood the "bed" materials below the propagators - believe you said sand mixed with vermiculite, but the texture didn't look as "sandy" as I expected. Please confirm what type of sand you used. Thank you for sharing these types of hacks to keep our hobby affordable and successful!!!

[@ChilliChump]

the bed, below the heating cable is insulation, which I used vermiculite in bags for. Then the cable, then on top of that it was just builders sand mixed with vermiculite. A mix of about 1 part vermiculite to 3 parts sand (by volume)

[@peterrichardson4280]

Hi Shaun great video and perfect explanation, can I ask where you got the tub from I can’t seem to find something like it anywhere, cheers Pete

[@ChilliChump]

Hi Peter. The link is in the description of the video, along with all the other bits. Here you go https:/geni.us/largetub If you are in the UK, it should take you straight to it. In other countries it should show an equivalent

[@williamwilson6887]

Being a second year grower last year I invested in the heat mats to set my domed trays on for germination. What a huge difference it made……I was amazed !!! I’ll be planting my seeds end Feb here in zone 5 (Canada). All the best with your planting……I look forward to seeing the videos. Stay safe.

[@cypress4u]

Good video, did you build the 2nd larger heated table - couldn't find any videos on a 2nd one. Was it the same? any changes you made on the 2nd unit? Cheers.

[@ChilliChump]

I didn't get round to building the second one yet. Was a bit busy with things. But I wouldn't change too much when I do make the bigger version.

[@caromitchell1125]

Great video! Could I use vermiculite only for top layer to avoid sand and water?

[@ChilliChump]

Sure....but it won't transfer the heat as well

[@grolsch-nl]

Great video, as you mentioned, it could being used in the greenhouse.

[@ChilliChump]

I am thinking to space the cabled even closer together when I do it in the greenhouse because it will take a bit more work to get the temperatures up. Could be handy for my space issues once my plants start getting too big for the potting shed!

[@kcmalone662]

Hort student here and I am in the research phase of trying to create my own prop bench. A few questions: Why do you vac seal the bottom thing of vermiculite? Now that you have likely had it running a bit - have you checked to see if the bags melted at all? Does your set up stay on at all times or does it turn off once it hits the desired temperature? Why use Vermiculite for the bottom insulation vs. other insulation material (ie. those insulating boards)? Vermiulite can be quite expensive. If you are using it only to help retain moisture in the sand, why not simply add some water to the sand when you are watering the seedlings etc. ? Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@ChilliChump]

I vacuum seal the vermiculite because it is there as insulation. The vac seal bags don't melt...they don't reach temperatures that would be a problem. These are the same types of bags that are used for sous vide and reach much higher temperatures when used for that purpose. Yes you can leave out the vermiculite from the sand if you want. But you will be having to water it more frequently. The thermostat will turn the heating off when it reaches the desired temperature.

[@kcmalone662]

@@ChilliChump wowzas thanks so much for your quick reply. does it being vac sealed make it more effective for insulation vs. having the vermiculite loose in the bin/box?

[@ChilliChump]

Yes...because if it is loose in the box then it will just absorb moisture...and not provide insulation. You are separating the base of the container from the wet soil...helps with heating and heat loss

[@kcmalone662]

@@ChilliChump Interesting. Sand must retain its heat or insulation properties when wet as this is what we use on campus for our heated prop benches.

[@cravenjd]

Another banger of a video

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you mate

[@OrtoInScatola]

Very well designed, as pretty much everything you build. It shows that a lot of thought went into the building. You already sowing chilies in October?

[@ChilliChump]

Thank you. And no...not sowing seeds for a few months still, this video was from a while back!

[@OrtoInScatola]

@@ChilliChump oooops sorry, thought it was from today LoL… didn’t notice it was an old one….

[@geoflawrence8319]

Hello, just watched your video, very interesting. I scanned the comments and stuff below but could not find how much all the components cost and where to source them from. Is there a list somewhere?

[@ChilliChump]

Hi there. Have a look in the description of the video.

[@Adam-Minka-Dink]

Hi Shaun. Thanks for sharing this really useful set up. I'm going to build it but have a question. If you put seedling trays with domes on top your heated soil, do you need to know/regulate what the temperature is inside each dome? Or do you just assume that if the soil is heated to 30 celcius, the air within the heated dome/s must be around the same temperature? or hotter? Could it get too hot within the domes for example? Thanks

[@ChilliChump]

Essentially I monitor the temperature in one of the propagation trays, and control the whole thing based on that one's temperature. It will keep them all within a margin of error.

[@tml4251]

Two plastic cups 20cents Small ziplock bag 30 cents Window that gets a good amount of sun And Done all for 50 cents But I do appreciate your channel and content

[@ChilliChump]

Agreed, there are much simpler ways to do these things. I'm just sharing what I am doing.

[@Dragonmonte]

Thank you, what an awesome video :p thanks chilichampion channel for your comment, what I learned mostly was vermiculite never thought about adding to my seed sprout, right now I've been saving styrofoam paper cups and cutting of the top and using cigarette cellaphane gluing to the top. Not sure if this is going work but am about two hundred dollars in debt, one of my problems is I don't have a drill, just a nail gun. I believe my answer is to buy a grow light on the Amazon site for 40 dollars?

[@Dragonmonte]

* content

[@noisettevincent4234]

Hello, thanks for the video. Some questions...is it possible to substitute 100% vermiculite or perlite for the sand element? My alu/polycarbonate propagator is 1m x 60cm so you can imagine how heavy it was with a thick layer of sand/perlite + water + seed trays. My other question is re. fire risk. When I dismantled the current layers, the cable had actually melted grooves in the thick plastic sheet and the polystyrene in the bottom. This was despite using a thermostat set to 25°C. Not good! I'm rebuilding the layers but want to reduce the chances of an accident. Any thoughts, please?

[@ChilliChump]

This is one reason I recommended in the video to use vacuum seal bags or even sousvide bags....they can handle hotter temperatures. The only other way to deal with it is to create a barrier between the heat cord and the plastic. Yes you can use pure vermiculate if you prefer.

[@colleentimu-collins4060]

thank you for sharing. A question. Is a thermostat needed as the wire in cable would have its own resistance hence would stop conducting electricity till temperature drops and restarts. I checked with an electrician who conferred. just asking what you think. Thanks.

[@ChilliChump]

I like to have control over my temperatures, so I prefer a thermostat. But strictly speaking, no you don't need one

[@michaelmckay8323]

Where did you get your tray or box?

[@perpl1618]

Chili-chump-san Thank you again for your videos ! I know my use cases are unusual from our previous communication , but is there a chance you could offer suggestions for making a small passively heated propagator ? In tokyo electricity is extremely expensive , and we dont have much space for gardening. I was just curious if you have found anything that might aid me , I have been trying to research this for 2 years :)

[@ChilliChump]

Hey Ryan. You can put your tray on top of the fridge. That is normally quite warm. Something else I've done with success in the past is put the tray on top of a satellite box/TV tuner/set top box. They also have a bit of warmth to them.

[@tny1smi]

Would it be easier to stand the trays on top of a electric blanket from a bed

[@leegibson9270]

You can get 25mm or 32mm sized stuffing glands in future instead of a 20mm and you would get that thick bit through easily . But I know your probably just using what you have spare lying around 😁👍

[@ChilliChump]

Yeah, pretty much just using what I had at hand. Have three sizes, and that was the biggest.

[@grolsch-nl]

If it was for me, I would put the support beam under the table beam, so it can't slide. Then it has maximum support.

[@ChilliChump]

There is a beam on the far side of the table already (against the window). I was thinking maybe to put a support beam under the table between that one and the one I put in.

[@davebento1548]

Was the grommet an M22 cable gland ? Might help people find it.

[@fin4795]

As for the cable problem… I have, before now cut the cable clamp along its length, put the cable through the hole an then fitted the clamp into the hole. A little glue or masking tape holds the lot together.

[@nigelpollitt5124]

thanks for this. However, without a dome of some kind over your propagator tray, you've built yourself a potting shed heater, and it'll be costly to run, given the difference between ambient of 17C and the heat in the vermiculite base of 34C. Did you eventually provide it with some sort of cover?

[@ChilliChump]

I am using propagator replacement lids. The ones for the Stewart propagator are a perfect fit

[@nigelpollitt5124]

@@ChilliChump thanks

[@WildCat408x]

What are the benefits of this vs a heat mat? I use heat mats and always have great germination rates and they are like $25 with a temp controller.

[@ChilliChump]

I have heat mats as well. They don't transfer the heat as well, or get the trays as warm

[@trishsmith2811]

Why do you water the sand mix? I think this will be a good solution for my greenhouse that isn’t heated.

[@ChilliChump]

It helps transfer and store the beat better

[@GreenLove1]

Love DIYs. I keep buying heat mats, and was about to buy another 4 ft long mat for $60. Might try this instead. Wondering, can I tape this heating cable directly on the shelf, cover with some bubble wrap and use it as is without the the tray etc? Kinda like a permanent heat mat. Any down side?

[@ChilliChump]

You could do that, but you won't get a good heat transfer, worth trying though if you wanted to. Also, I have heat mats...they are alright, but just couldn't get the performance from them that I needed.

[@DyesubDave]

Just wondering what the point is of wetting the media under the seedling trays since they all have domes? Does that allow for better heat transfer? Wouldn't warm DRY sand do the same thing?

[@ChilliChump]

Much better heat transfer, and heat storage too

[@kieranhooper4227]

So, does the sand and vermiculite mixture need to be wet?

[@kyyurtman1416]

The sand / vermiculite should be damp for a more even and consistent heat distribution. Keep in mind that the further from the center, the substrate will be cooler.

[@jackdoud]

The amazon link in the description just takes me to a generic amazon page of thermostats with no heat wires. Do you have a direct link to what you bought?

[@ChilliChump]

Unfortunately the link service I use tries to get the best link for your local region. This is the link for the one I bought, but it is for the UK: amzn.to/3qxLFyu

[@peter2327]

You could try to make the tub from polystyrene boards and line it with HDPE pond liner (that is how our brooding/hatching apparatus is built). I went a different path: I got rid of all the years worth of old trash in the heating compartment of the basement, anf the room next to it. put cheap wooden shelves in it and invested in some of these LED growing lights because it is much cheaper to bring light into the house than it is to bring warmth to a shed (we have continental climate). We have a wood pellet firing stove (furnace? no idea, I'm German) so there are almost always 24+°C in the heating cellar. humidity is not a problem, as the stove draws a lot of air to burn the wood. But be dilligent with the watering can! (same reason)

[@TroIIingThemSoftly]

Guten Tag!

[@peter2327]

@@TroIIingThemSoftly Gute Nacht und süße Träume!

[@SuperUbuntudude]

were is part 2?

[@victorbenner539]

Very nice.

[@MrMush78]

Is that not just a heated tray ? Alot of heat will be lost into air in the shed ? And will the heated cable melt the plastic bag containing the vermiculite ??

[@ChilliChump]

The bags are the same type you would use for Sous-vide so I doubt they will melt. And yes, there will be heat loss, just make sure you fill the space with as many seed trays as you can. And once they are no longer seeds, and you pot up, you can put those pots in the heated bed too.

[@PaulSmith-jr1qe]

Hi Shaun, Have you thought of using a heater cable designed for a vivarium, I built one and laid the cable between the insulation and a sheet of glass as these cables are designed to go on the base of glass vivarium's, the advantage being no worrying about keeping the sand moist and a piece of 6mm glass creates an excellent heat sink so very constant temperature control.

[@ChilliChump]

Hey Paul. I think it may be the same type of cable as I used in this video. I will have a look though. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@rabbitphobia]

Well, that was handy and seems like a worthwhile project... but a cost comparison would have been nice.

[@ChilliChump]

Doing a cost comparison when I have a global audience, it isn't a simple thing.

[@rabbitphobia]

@@ChilliChump You can simply give an Amazon page that will pretty much cover your "global audience" and you can even get a percentage. It was just an idea no need to get so irate with your "global audience".

[@ChilliChump]

Who is getting irate? You said to do a cost comparison. I already have links to all the items I used in this project in the description, for amazon.

[@rabbitphobia]

@@ChilliChump NO I said it would have been nice but it was remiss of me not to take into account that you are time-poor on account of your "global audience" taking so much of it. Well, that's all you had to say... so I'll say this it would have been nice if you mentioned that in the video as Im not here to read. And again don't get so unruly relax.

[@gavinbauer2807]

Yeah, heat, getting rid of it is even harder than generating it ;)

[@TheLastMuffin007]

For future builds I would reccomend not vacuuming the air out of your homemade insulation pads. Air is necessary for good insulation. Look at home insulation, if you compress it down it halves the insulations R value.

[@tomneal72]

Is this still working as some reviewers have said it goes faulty very quickly

[@ChilliChump]

@@tomneal72 which reviewers? Still works great.

[@tomneal72]

@ just looked at the negative reviews

[@ChilliChump]

@tomneal72 not sure where the reviews would be. This is my design. And the comments on this video are the only place there would be feedback on it. Not sure I've seen much negative 🤷🏼‍♂️. But its all good, I just share my experience with these things. It's up to folks if they want to use my design or not.

[@tomneal72]

@@ChilliChump I’m not knocking your device down it’s very good and enjoy your channel but all I’m saying is that before I buy something I always read all the reviews on amazon good and negative reviews and it seems like there is quite a few buyers that have said the cables and thermostat seem to go faulty within months I’m not slating you so hope u won’t feel that way

[@ChilliChump]

@tomneal72 I'm not taking it personally at all. Was just confused by these reviews. The way your comment was worded, suggested that the reviews for my device and build were bad. You hadn't mentioned the cable or thermostat. Makes more sense now.

[@koreywilliams4570]

What is it?

[@ChilliChump]

It's for seed propagation...help your seeds germinate and have a good start to life

[@rswalm1]

the heat cable shuts off at 45 degrees so no way to heat it up to 70. how do you terminate the heat cable thermostat?

[@ChilliChump]

You talking celsius or farenheit?

[@rswalm1]

Farenheit

[@ChilliChump]

Not sure where you are seeing those stats. The cable I link to has a range of 16 to 40 Celsius, so 60 to 104 farenheit

[@rswalm1]

ok the one i have shuts off much lower. Thanks

[@darkstarpyro5358]

nice

[@rcaddictshow1288]

Sorry I can’t do this

[@ChilliChump]

Can't do the project?

[@rcaddictshow1288]

@@ChilliChump honestly, I love the channel but I’ve been growing my reapers in Canada/canastan for 7 years. There is no need for all this extra effort! For all that is seeing this……kitchen table with really good fertilizer over the winter months That’s it!

[@ChilliChump]

The shed that I'm in in this video is not insulated. It gets into freezing temperatures. There's no way my seeds would germinate without heating assistance like this tray. It's only for the winter months, which is when we start our seeds. If I could start my 500 seeds inside the house then I would...but unfortunately that is not possible.

[@rcaddictshow1288]

@@ChilliChump hey you are on a bigger scale than me! No doubt. I love this channel for that reason alone. But for the small guys I’m kicking in! Sorry

[@ChilliChump]

No need to apologise! Just explaining the need for something like this

[@TheOldBoy101]

Wondering about drainage in the tub?? As water is added will this cause a mold condition in the vermiculite ?

[@ChilliChump]

Never had a problem with mould etc. You shouldn't be adding too much water. Just enough to create better heat transfer and heat storage. But if there were some algae to start growing...either leave it until end of the germination process, or get rid of it with some hydrogen peroxide. Really isn't an issue because the trays are set on top of the substrate

[@accountname1047]

Or you could buy a 5$ tray and a 5$ heat mat

[@ChilliChump]

I have a $5 tray and a $5 heat mat. And I'm lucky to get about 3 to 5'C above ambient with those

[@david_reynolds3660]

When are you going to get back to making sauces, tasting peppers, and making spice mixes for the stream?

[@grolsch-nl]

Why are you always complaining in every video @Chillichump releases? He's a gardener, not a magician.

[@madcraic3283]

Mate there's 159K of us and you are one of like 3 that take offense. Chill my friend!

[@wardy89]

what came first, the chilli or the plant?

[@jamess1787]

@@wardy89 the soil 🤣

[@jackdoud]

That's a bit hard to do in the middle of winter without any plants.

[@BlackJesus8463]

nice